If you’re looking for a chemical-free, humane way to get rid of moles from your yard, the answer is in the wind. Yep, that’s right – the wind.
As a child growing up, I remember that Grandpa had a homemade wooden windmill about 3’ tall in his garden. It had loose blocks of wood on it that made loud, rhythmic tapping noises whenever the wind blew. I’d never seen anything like it before. So, I asked him what it was for.
“To keep the moles away.” He was one to be economical with words.
Moles burrow just under the grass, cutting the roots and making ugly lumpy trails of pushed up sod and dirt. Soon your yard looks like a tangled snake den made of grass. But Grandpa’s yard was always as smooth as a golf green.
Later, I learned what the secret is! Moles hate vibration. So, I designed an improved version of Grandpa’s Mole Chasing Windmill.
Ours is all metal, so it holds up better than his homemade wood contraption, which needed constant repairs. And, all the metal is galvanized or stainless steel to stand up to the weather. It’s many times more effective than Grandpa’s original. Mounted according to recommendations (on a grounding rod), the effective area is the size of a small yard (up to 20,000 square feet, depending on soil type and other variables)!
The windmill itself turns effortlessly on ball bearings. Instead of obnoxiously clacking blocks of loose wood, we allow it to wobble slightly on the post. In addition, there’s a tiny steel marble inside that clicks not much louder than a grandfather clock.
Best of all, it’s an all-natural and attractive way to keep pesky moles out of your yard! Remember though – you need wind to make this gadget work. When the windmill is moving, vibrations are being sent to the ground and moles will stay away. It’s a simple solution that goes a long way.
Note: Customers are also testing right now with prairie dogs and woodchucks/ground hogs. If you want to try it for that, let us know how it works!
How far in the ground does the rerod need to be? I have three coming and want to be ready with the rod
Pam, To use, mount each windmill on a 1/2″ steel rod (not included). For best results, use an eight-foot “grounding rod”. If soil is hard or rocky, a shorter rod may be used. Ground rods are available at any building supply outlet, electrical supply houses, and many hardware stores.
My experience found this device was marginally effective at best, and the ball bearing corroded after a few years. Though I sent e-mails to Lehmans several times attempting to buy a replacement bearing, they were totally non-responsive. I never heard back from them, and eventually gave up. Poor customer service, IMHO.
Will the Windmill work on chipmunks? Do not have moles. But, have enough chipmunks to fill a large soup pot.